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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26874211">taking my time, let the world turn</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jayke/pseuds/Jayke'>Jayke</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teenage Bounty Hunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Clueless gays, F/F, bc i don’t know how to write teenagers, childhood friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, lesbians in georgia, no beta we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:41:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>859</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26874211</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jayke/pseuds/Jayke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The cliche about UGA and pledging Blair joked about all those years ago turns out to be true, guess the only thing that’s left is the marriage part.</p><p>~*~</p><p>Or the one where everything is the same except they are all teachers of Willingham Academy instead.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>April Stevens/Sterling Wesley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>taking my time, let the world turn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A/N: I’m just too old to pretend to write like a teenager, hence the slight AU. Basically everything follows canon except Sterling and April starting a relationship, here they simply just graduated staying ‘rivals’ the whole time. Any other differences, i’ll try to make it clear in the story. </p><p>This is a love letter to the Stepril/TBH fandom. They deserve a much longer story.</p><p>Title taken from ‘slow burn’ of course.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sterling munches on her PB&amp;J at the teacher’s lounge as Blair prattles along next to her, her own meatball sub forgotten.</p><p>School year is starting tomorrow and Sterling is a bit anxious given the school is still down a Bible Studies teacher. The principal had already been hinting that as the counselor for fellowship, Sterling is the logical candidate to cover the classes until they find someone.</p><p>She knows God like to hand out challenges, but teaching about the Bible on top of her regular Chemistry classes just seems like a feat too insuperable.</p><p>“Earth to Sterling!” Blair is snapping her fingers in front of her face.</p><p>Sterling blinks out of her reverie. “Sorry, I kinda spaced out.”</p><p>“Are you still worried about Bible Class? You could just tell Ellen to fuck off.”</p><p>“I can’t do that!” Says Sterling, scandalized. “She’s always been such a mentor to me. Besides, this is <em>Bible Class!</em> If I don’t help out, the very foundation of Willingham would collapse!”</p><p>Blair groaned. “Ugh, God can be so needy sometimes.”</p><p>Sterling sighed. “It can’t be that bad, right? I’m already in charge of fellowship, it will just be like a fellowship meeting except I’ll be the one talking instead of fading into the background.”</p><p>“Exactly, can you imagine talking about God and the Bible for an hour? I mean, I’m cool with the J-man, but if I wanted to talk about him, I would’ve been a pastor.”</p><p>“Can women be pastors?” Sterling scrunches her face.</p><p>“It’s 2020 baby, God is a feminist now.”</p><p>The twins talk a bit more, but the clock above the door quickly told them that lunch hour is almost over. They clean up and left to get ready for the staff meeting in the afternoon.</p><p>The meeting room is mostly empty when Blair and Wesley arrive. (“Don’t want to be too late, they might force us to sit up front next to Ellen.”Blair says with a wink.) They end up sitting near the middle of the long table while waiting for the others to arrive. Principal Ellen is already there.</p><p>Sterling tried to call her “Principal Johnson” once and was then treated with a 15 minute speech about <em>how last names create barriers between people </em>and<em> excessive professionalism hinders communication </em>and<em> how Ellen is so looking forward to building close and intimate bonds with her staff especially Sterling since Ellen knew her from when she was a teenager- </em></p><p>Sterling never made that mistake again.</p><p>Hannah and Ezekiel file in next, the Arts and English teachers are always conjoined, somehow more than Blair and Sterling, who are actually twins. It is a mystery what keeps them glue together. Luke, who teaches Music, waves at Sterling when he enters, taking the empty seat on the other side of Sterling. She nods back. She remembers dating him all those years. For some reason, Luke turned out to be her longest relationship. There were a couple more boyfriends between sophomore and senior year, then followed by a more casual partner throughout college. But no one came close to beating Luke’s steady five years. Sterling knew he was teaching here when she took the job two years ago. Luke was of course ecstatic to see her, but assured her he is completely over her. The lingering stares and fumbling invitations for drinks ever since however makes Sterling seriously doubt the validity of that statement.</p><p>Luke quickly ropes her into a meaningless conversation about his plans for the year and how he is hoping to finally mentor a student Christian rock band like he’d been dreaming of. Sterling nods along ever now and then, trying not to act overly rude with her half-hearted listening. She doesn’t have such ambitious plans, she counts it as a good year if none of her kids blows something up in the lab.</p><p>Ellen claps her hand smartly to get everyone’s attention, eyes wide with excitement as usual.</p><p>“Alright everyone, final meeting of the summer. How’s everyone been doin’? Been keeping active? I want us to look bright and burstin’ with life for the kids. I’ve dusted off my scooter myself and I'm zoomin’ everywhere with it! Ah, nothin’ quite like the feelin’ of gently rolling down the sidewalk...“ Ellen beams.</p><p>“Well, let’s quickly go over the agenda for to’day...but first! I have good news!” The excited clapping is back. “I have finally found our new Bible Studies teacher!”</p><p>“Oh thank god!” Sterling blurts out, a little too loudly. Luckily only Blair heard her.</p><p>“Yes! Isn’t it wonderful? And extra bonus, she is someone who is not only passionate about Christ Himself, but also very familiar with our school, and with many of you! Willingham really is like a home everyone just comes back to, isn't it?”</p><p>A knock interrupts Ellen’s passionate speech.</p><p>“Oh, that must be her! Come on in!” Ellen shouts toward the door, gesturing empathically through the glass pane.</p><p>The door opens.</p><p>Sterling hears the clicking of short heels before catching the face of the person.</p><p>
  <em>No.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No way.</em>
</p><p>A petite body, a round face, a pair of smart eyes staring right back at her.</p><p>“April?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Lemme what you think ;)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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